


Promise

by DaRk_HorSe731



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Child Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Explicit Language, F/M, Rey (Star Wars) is Nobody, Young Rey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:20:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23359156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaRk_HorSe731/pseuds/DaRk_HorSe731
Summary: "But his eyes... They told a story. She knew this look very well from other kids in custody and herself, of course. His skin was grayish and the dark circles under his eyes were probably there for too long. Just like hers. And while his face could appear emotionless for others, Rey saw the deepest fears in those dark eyes. And secret desire to be free. To escape whatever nightmares haunted him at his nights and days. So she couldn't help but wonder will he have strength to do it? Will she?"This was heavily inspired by the last The Rise of Kylo Ren comic, where we had our first canon confirmation that Ben and Rey felt each other before they even met. I always loved the idea that she saw him in her past, and that is how I imagined one of theirs meeting in Modern AU set.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16





	Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Please mind the tags! I'm still getting used to Ao3 settings, so if you think I missed some important tags or warnings, please be free to tell me! (This story is tough and dark, for sure.)
> 
> And as English isn't my first language, I apologize for my typos and mistakes. I really hope to find my beta soon!

**_Avril Lavigne - Nobody’s Home._ **

_Be strong, be strong now._

_Too many, too many problems._

_Don't know where she belongs,_

_Where she belongs._

Rey rushed out of the Police department with the same old ugly feeling inside. _They don’t believe her._ Even when that nice lady supported her and helped her to the hospital one of those times, they still _didn’t do a shit_ about Plutt’s abuse she faces every day. The rage bubbled up inside her chest from the memories of how Unkar treated her when he found out about police reports and she pushed the glass doors with too much force. He will know when she comes back. Rey suspected that he got his man in Police Department for a while now. Last time he spend nearly an hour trying to break not just her ribs, but her spirit as well. But she will _never_ surrender to him! Even if she’ll pass out because of a pain shock, (it wouldn’t be the first time,) he won’t hear her apologies.

And at some point came realization, that no matter how hard she will resist, it’s _a damned circle_. Rey wakes up in a hospital, then as soon as the nurse treat her scars as far as it’s possible without checking her health insurance, she escapes.... And goes back. She was _always_ back to that shittiest place on Earth called Jakku, because there _wasn’t anywhere to go_ , really. 

But Rey couldn’t live like that any longer. She’s only fifteen, but she will be _damned_ if she spends another day under that motherfucker. That bustard always knew how to beat her up to the level where she’s still was functioning enough to do the job. He never broke her hands or legs, leaving bruises only on covered places of her body. The bandages on her arms became her distinguishing mark. At some point she gave up unwrapping them when her skin was healed enough, because Unkar Plutt immediately made sure she had _a reason_ to wear them again.

First few years she held hope that maybe her parents will be back. Maybe there were some significant ground why they sold her to Unkar at the age of 6, when everyone knew his girls ended up as prostitutes. The only reason she didn’t is her discovered talents with cars, engineering skills and a tiny body that helped her to scavenge and rob rival’s landfills and junkyards. Plus she was tough and stronger then it seemed, so after a while he let her make deals on her own. She was quick and managed to escape every time when those bastard buyers wanted to use force against her. But she was _so done_ with this life! _Noone_ will be back. _Noone_ will care enough to help her. _Noone_ will understand her. She was alone in this and only had herself. Was it enough to escape? She didn’t know, but she will do everything that’s in her power to succeed. 

So she decided to act. First, money was crucial, so it needed to be saved. Well, it wasn’t like she had those first hand, it was Plutt’s money, but after all the miserable years under his custody she was pretty sure he owned her. A lot! She didn’t know where her strength came from, but it would be a shame if she’ll give up now. She will _do it,_ she’ll survive and escape and _noone_ will ever hurt her anymore. **Never.**

Today she attempted to try once again with police, but when they refused to help her, she didn’t even wait to be transferred to a hospital. Her lip was bleeding and the pain at her left side was maddening but _that was it_ for her. The time has _come_... 

Determined to get back home as quickly as possible to pack some cloth and take her savings, while Plutt was still away for a couple of hours, Rey stormed out of the front doors of PD outside and immediately bumped into somebody. The force of collision was so severe for her broken ribs, that for a second Rey thought that she will faint. Wave of pain tore through her body and there was nothing to stop her from falling. All her nerves screamed with pain after two crashes and girl winced and groaned out loud, feeling hot tears running down her cheeks. _What a shame_ , she is on public street, after all. But then again who cares about some filthy scavenger. Now she needs to focus and _get up_. There’s not much time.

But then her body instinctively tensed, because someone bend beside her. _Too close._ **Too close!** She was ready to _fight_ her way out, but when Rey managed to open her eyes, something inside of her _froze_ from what she saw. She bumped into a man. Rey couldn’t tell how old he was, maybe mid-twenties. He kneeled beside her and his broad shoulders blocked everything from view, that’s how big he was. 

“I’m so sorry, are you okey?” She heard his deep baritone through the intense pounding of the blood in her ears. The man tried to reach her with his hand, but Rey jerked from it on the instinct level. She didn’t like to be touched. Especially by strangers. He seemed to understand and thought better of it.

Blinking a few times, her eyes managed to see clearly despite painful tears and that’s when she truly _saw_ the man. He looked _awful_. Maybe even _worse_ than her. It wasn’t about the clothes, he looked accurate and casual. And she was sure it wasn’t about bruises, Rey didn’t spot them. But his _eyes_... They told _a story_. She knew this look very well from other kids in custody and _herself_ , of course. His skin was grayish and the dark circles under his eyes were probably there for too long. Just like _hers_. And while his face could appear emotionless for others, Rey saw the deepest fears in those dark eyes. And secret desire to **be free**. To escape whatever nightmares haunted him at his nights and days. So she couldn't help but wonder will he have strength to do it? Will she?

Rey saw how his eyes widened and knew he _felt it too_. There was immediately some mutual understanding between them. When you’re broken it’s not that hard to see when others are broken too. And she wanted to ask. What made him restless? Does he sleep at night or his nightmares made it nearly impossible like hers did? Is it hard to get up everyday and move on? Is he just as lonely as she is? What was he running from? 

The answer to the last question came quick. A hand of an old man landed on his shoulder and all his body tensed and went rigid. Senile fingers clawed into the fabric of the man’s jacket.

“Let’s go, Benjamin. Don’t waste your precious time on weak spirits and wasted minds.” 

The voice was even more vile, than she expected. Rey captured a flash of panic and fear in the look this man, Benjamin, gave her, still shielding her from speaker’s view. But he wasn’t afraid for himself. By the way his body slightly bended forward she realized that it was his impulse to protect her from the man behind him. That thought alone shocked Rey so much. People kept walking past them, while she couldn’t force herself to move, couldn’t get her eyes from this man. Noone ever protected her. Noone ever even _tried_.

This genuine gesture transfixed her body, and she had no time to react when Benjamin insensibly pulled out something from jacket’s inner pocket and put it in her fist before he stood up. The thing wasn’t big, but thick and felt cold, like metal. So Rey quickly hid it in her clothes, and scrambled to her feet. Benjamin’s hands may have jerked towards her, while she tried to remain conscious despite the pain, but it seems he didn’t dare to move now when he was standing beside his companion. Once her back was straightened, Rey could finally examine the second man. 

The bastard was _rich as fuck_ she was sure. With no doubt his custom-made suit fitted him so perfectly, but the way he looked at her made Rey want to spit right on his shining shoes. But something in Benjamin’s eyes reminded her, that it would do no good any of them. So she just lifted her chin and looked straight into the devil's eyes. _Noone_ will scare her. She wasn’t afraid of Unkar Plutt, she won’t be afraid of some random _moneybag_ on the streets. And maybe some day the man beside him won’t be too, she hoped. At least for a brief moment Rey made him smirk, and his lifeless eyes sparkled with amusement. 

‘ _Lovely._ ’ drawled the scum and with last look on her rotty jeans, that loathsome fucker squeezed Benjamin’s shoulder and pushed him to move on. 

Rey looked back after them for a while, watching with sickening feeling how those disgusting fingers never left boy’s back. When Ben glanced back, she released a breath Rey didn’t know she held. His eyes were so sad, that she wondered will it ever be better for him? She would like to help him. To tell him that he’s _not alone._ That he still have _a choice_ to go other way, to _break free_. But the elder man were drugging him further away, deeper into unknown _darkness_. And Rey made up her mind. 

Girl pulled out the mysterious object that Benjamin gave her. To her surprise it was a pen knife. The blue color on a handle faded from time and constant using. She managed to read barely visible words:

“To my little starfighter.”

Her heart ached at thought that it might be a very dear thing to Benjamin, but he gave it up to a complete stranger. The blade wasn’t sharp and didn’t look intimidating or dangerous actually. Rey thought that maybe it was used to carve letters on trees or some other things children do on camping with their parents, not like she knew what ordinary families do on campings. 

But what she knew is that no matter how that monster tried to darken the spirit of that boy, he was still _a good man_ inside. Bad people don’t sacrifice gifts from people that _loved_ them for little filthy scavengers on the streets. And now she felt like at least she owned him _a try_. To break free today and _survive_. 

At that moment everything made sense, and she knew what she had to do! Noone was there _for her_ , so _she will_ be there for those who need it. Noone had ever protected _her_ , so _she will_ protect as many as she can. 

Rey went back to Jakku for the last time that day with a definite purpose to become the one who could help unfortunate people. She took her clothes, her money, broke into Plutt’s office to find all documents on her, that he had, and left for good.

Sitting on a first bus to next random city she promised herself she will _do it_. But _for every kid_ who was left. _For everyone_ who had never had a chance to break free. 

For herself.

 **For Ben**.  
  


**_Rev Theory - Far From Over._ **

_Crawling closer._

_So save your kiss goodbye,_

_It's far from over!_

_I won't fear anymore._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> I'm already considering to turn this one-shot into a multi-chapter fic about grown up Rey and Ben, if anyone would be interested to see how this story will wrap itself up.  
> Let me know what you think in the comments!


End file.
